The Boxer Club of NSW

History of the Boxer

History of the (Deutscher) BoxerThe Boxer has its origins from Germany. Ancestors of the Boxer were the German Bullenbeisser, a dog of Mastiff descent, and the English Bulldog. The Bullenbeisser was used in the pursuit of bear, wild boar and deer. Its task was to seize the prey and hold it until the hunters arrived. For this job the dog had to have as wide a jaw as possible with broadly spaced teeth in order to bite firmly and hold on tightly, a nose that was up-turned so the dog could breathe will holding on to its prey and furrows either side of the nose so that blood could be carried away from the eyes.

Bullenbeisser

In later years, faster dogs were favoured and the Bullenbeisser grew smaller via selective breeding and was then called the Brabanter. In the late 19th Century, the Brabanter was crossed with an English Bulldog to start the line that would become the modern Boxer.

Brabanter

The first boxer appeared at a Munich Dog Show in 1895. The first Boxer Club was formed in 1896 (Munich Boxer Club) and an official Breed Standard was written in 1902. The breed was first registered in Germany but attracted little notice until the end of World War I.

Munich Boxer Club - founded in 1896

Frau Stockman - 1912known as ‘The Grandmother’ of the Boxer Breed as we know it today

During the World Wars, the Boxer was used for military work, acting as a valuable messenger dog, pack carrier, attack dog and guard dog. It was not until after World War II that the Boxer became popular around the world. Boxer mascots, taken home by returning soldiers introduced the dog to a much wider audience and it soon became a favourite as a companion animal, as a show dog and as a guard dog. He quickly became one of the most widely used guard dogs around the world and in Germany, the Boxer was one of the first dogs to be used for police work. Boxers are still used as police dogs and service dogs today but are mostly admired, adored and revered as valued companions and family pets.